The Way We Were, The Way We Should Be
by iklaintevenmad
Summary: Try as he might, Kurt can't enjoy New York without Blaine there with him.


_Inspiration taken, as it always seems to be with me, from an episode of Gilmore Girls. Specifically 5x14, Say Something, which in turn was inspired by The Way We Were. _

Kurt had dreamed of living in New York for as long as he could remember. He had big plans to one day become a star on Broadway and live in a penthouse overlooking the hustle and bustle of what was sure to be his favourite city in the world. His fantasies only became more vivid after starting his relationship with Blaine and transformed to include coming home from a long day of rehearsals to find his boyfriend –or perhaps fiancé – working furiously on a new composition for the piano or practicing a song he'd recently written. They'd exchange kisses and ask "how was your day?" before grabbing their coats and heading back out to a fancy restaurant where everybody would instantly recognise _the _Kurt Hummel and give them the best seats possible.

Blaine being a year younger than him was somewhat inconvenient, however Kurt looked for the silver lining and contented himself with the thought that when Blaine _did_ meet him in New York the following year Kurt would be able to show him around all of his favourite places. He decided early on in his planning that he'd spend at least the first month of his time there searching for spots he thought Blaine would enjoy and making an itinerary of things to do when they were reunited. In the two weeks after Blaine dropped him off and before classes started Kurt planned to visit Broadway, Times Square, the Empire State building and search for the best coffee shop around.

He didn't expect for Blaine to break up with him in Central Park the day they got there and then leave.

He didn't know at that time that he'd spend the next week and a half in bed crying and wondering how things had turned out so badly.

As soon as Blaine had shattered him with the whole "I just don't think it's going to work out" speech Kurt had fled, heartbroken and shocked. He didn't trust himself to talk to Blaine without making things a thousand times worse. He'd ran back to his apartment and turned off his phone. Since then the only people he'd talked to were Rachel – who had also had her heart broken by Finn – and his dad who rang him on Rachel's phone when he couldn't get through to Kurt.

Rachel, slightly more optimistic than Kurt, decided that she wasn't going to let Finn spoil the fact that she had just moved to the city of her dreams. Meaning Kurt was left in the apartment to wallow alone.

It was a week and a half in when Kurt caught a Barbara Streisand marathon on TV and proceeded to watch it in his room whilst eating at ice cream at ten am. He knew he should be disgusted in himself for being so pathetic but he couldn't even muster the energy. Constant crying and replaying their break up – even _thinking_ it hurt –in his head had exhausted him.

Half way through the end credits he snapped. Picking up his phone with shaking hands, he switched it on after days on being cut off. Missed calls and messages popped up from a number of the former and present members of New Directions – including a few rather frantic ones from Puck asking what the hell was going on – but none from the one person he needed to talk to the most. He took a deep breath and called Blaine.

The phoned seemed to ring forever and the seconds stretched into what felt like hours. It went to voicemail and Kurt wiped his face of tears, sniffed hard and began talking.

"Hi Blaine," he rasped, feeling a pain in his chest from just saying the name out loud. "It's Kurt. I… I hope you're okay. I'm not okay. But I hope you are. I've been sitting in bed for the past ten days. Aside from Central Park I haven't seen any of New York yet. I have to pick up my class schedule soon but right now I just… can't. There's a Streisand marathon on TV right now. I just finished watching _The Way We Were_ and I was wondering if you remember how Katie and Hubbell broke up? His friends were joking and laughing and the president had just died, and Katie yelled at them and Hubbell was mad. And he was going to Hollywood – which she hated – and he broke up with her and she was really upset. And… and she called him and asked him if he would come over and sit with her because he was her best friend and she needed her – her best friend. So he did and they talked all night. And they went out to Hollywood which was a disaster but it was good at first, with the boat and uh… and the putting the books away? I've seen this movie a lot so if you don't remember the putting the books away scene don't feel stupid. But I was just thinking about and I – you're my best friend, Blaine. And – I need my best friend. I need you, okay? I need you."

The phone beeped to signal the end of the message and Kurt took a shaky breath and dropped the phone. "I cannot believe I just did that," he whispered, closing his eyes and congratulating himself on ruining what may have been his last chance, tears streaming down his face.

The lack of response from Blaine over the next day just made the heavy feeling in his stomach even worse. Nothing he did could take his mind off the fact that he had completely embarrassed himself in front of Blaine to such an extent that the other boy couldn't even respond.

That night Kurt drifted into an uneasy sleep but was woken up in the early hours of the morning by his phone vibrating close to his face. He answered the phone with bleary eyes. "Hello?"

"_Kurt_," croaks a voice that has Kurt shooting up straight in bed and clutching onto the phone.

"Blaine," he sobs.

"I- I got your message," Blaine sniffs.

"I shouldn't have sent you that. I'm sorry."

"No! _Jesus_, Kurt, _I'm _sorry. I just – " Kurt hears a deep breath and then Blaine starts over. "I can't do this."

For one heart stopping moment Kurt thought Blaine had called him just to reinforce their break up, but thankfully Blaine continued.

"I can't – I need to be with you. I screwed up, and I'm so sorry, but I thought this was for the best. I thought letting you go would be easier but it's not. It's not. I – I can be your best friend, if that's what you want. If you don't want anything else but that then I think I can cope. But please, _please _tell me you'll take me back," he pleaded.

Kurt let out an airy, disbelieving laugh. "Yes. Yes, I will."

"I love you," Blaine declared, voice thick with tears.

"I love you too." It was like a weight had been lifted off Kurt's chest. "I just really wish you were here right now."

There was silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds and then Kurt heard someone knock on the door. He froze.

"Blaine...?" He asked hesitantly, unsure of what was happening.

"Just open the door, Kurt." Kurt could practically hear the smile in Blaine's teary voice.

Bolting out of bed, Kurt ran to the door and wrenched it open, dropping his phone when he saw his equally wrecked boyfriend – _boyfriend _– waiting for him with bright eyes and a hopeful smile.

Kurt launched himself at Blaine, trusting the other boy to catch him. Flinging his arms around Blaine's neck, Kurt kissed him, smiling as he felt Blaine's hands come up to bracket him, one on the small of his back and the other cupping the back of his head.

"You can't do that again," Kurt whispered as he pulled back, searching Blaine's face.

Blaine shook his head frantically. "I won't, I promise."

"Good. Because I'm not letting you say goodbye to me," Kurt vowed, kissing him once again.

_Please review!_


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